1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a contact and separating device that enables contact and separation between an abutted member such as an intermediate transfer belt and a roller member such as a transfer roller, and an image forming apparatus including the contact and separating device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, an apparatus using an intermediate transfer belt and a transfer roller is well known as an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus is in an unused state for a long period of time until reaching an end user from the shipment thereof. In particular, the apparatus is often placed in a harsh environment such as a high-temperature and humidity environment during the transportation thereof. When the image forming apparatus is not used for a long period of time in such a state, the transfer roller is placed for a long period of time in a state where the transfer roller is pressed and welded into the intermediate transfer belt, and thus there is a concern of an image being disturbed by the attachment of an exuding material to the surface of the intermediate transfer belt.
In addition, the local deformation of the transfer roller may cause defective transfer. For this reason, a shipment configuration may be adopted in which the intermediate transfer belt and the transfer roller are set to be in a light-pressure state or a separation state by interposing a sheet-shaped member between the intermediate transfer belt and the transfer roller or inserting a separation member into the transfer roller side. In addition, as disclosed in JP-A-2006-113283, a configuration is proposed in which separation is released by using a driving gear being transmitted to a secondary transfer outer roller during an initial startup, from the viewpoint of improving serviceability and preventing an operational error due to forgotten removal or the like.
However, in the configuration disclosed in JP-A-2006-113283, the meshing of the driving gear with a transmitted gear of a secondary transfer roller even after release is a precondition, and thus the driving gear meshes with the transmitted gear even in a separation state. For this reason, a sufficient amount of separation cannot be secured between both of the gears, and thus it is difficult to sufficiently separate the secondary transfer roller from the intermediate transfer belt. Accordingly, there is a concern that exudation from the secondary transfer roller onto the surface of the intermediate transfer belt and the local deformation of the secondary transfer roller may not be avoided. In addition, the configuration cannot be adopted in a system in which a secondary transfer outer roller rotates in a driven manner.